Purim and Yom Kippurim
Tikunei Zohar (p.57:) writes that Yom Kippur is called פורים-כ יום, which can be translated as “A day like Purim." Yom Kippur is compared to Purim. The Ruzhiner zt'l said that this indicates that Purim is even greater than Yom Kippur!
The Mishnah Berurah (90:28) writes, "If a person in jail was granted permission to daven with a minyan on any one day he chooses, he should choose to daven immediately, on that day, and not wait until Yom Kippur or Purim..." Notice that the Mishnah Berurah’s examples of special days for a minyan are Yom Kippur and Purim! He didn’t even write Rosh Hashanah. Purim and Yom Kippur are at the top of the list of days we should be in Beis Medresh.
One of the similarities between Purim and Yom Kippur is that they are both days of atonement. The Sfas Emes (ט"תרל) explains that the atonement of Yom Kippur comes through fasting, while the atonement of Purim comes through celebrating.
About the korbanos on Yom Kippur, it states (Shemos 30:10), אחת ...בשנה אחת ...אהרן עליו וכפר לדורותיכם עליו יכפר בשנה, "Aharon shall bring atonement...once a year... Once a year, shall he bring atonement upon it for your generations." Notice that בשנה אחת, "once a year," is written twice in this pasuk. The Imrei Noam (Dzikov) zt’l explains that this alludes to Purim and Yom Kippur. The difference between them is that the atonement of Yom Kippur comes from the korbanos, while the kaparah of Purim is achieved even without korbanos.
We sing, לטוב זכור חרבונה וגם, which can mean that even those who are חורבנה, destroyed by sins, לטוב זכור, they are remembered for good on Purim because they can attain their atonement.
There are other similarities between Yom Kippur and Purim:
- The Rashba (I Teshuvah 93) writes that due to sins, there may come a time when Hashem will take away the yomim tovim from us, as it states (Eichah 2:6), ושבת מועד בציון 'ה שבת, "Hashem made Tzion oblivious of holidays and Shabbos..." Purim and Yom Kippur, however, will always be with the Jewish nation. As it states (Esther 9:28), יעברו לא הפורים וימי מזרעם יסוף לא וזכרם היהודים מתוך, “And these days of Purim shall never cease from among the Yidden, nor shall their memory perish from their descendants.” Yom Kippur is also eternal, as it states, עולם חקת לכם זאת והיתה, “This law is forever...”
- The Ruzhiner Rebbe zt’l said we attain atonement and forgiveness on Purim even when we don't do teshuvah.
What is the explanation? How can one attain forgiveness without teshuvah? The Ruzhiner Rebbe's grandson, Rebbe Yisrael of Tchortkov zt’l, gave this explanation:
It states (Shulchan Aruch 694:3), במעות מדקדקין אין לו נותנים יד שפושט מי כל אלא פורים, “One doesn’t check out people for the tzedakah of Purim. We give to whoever requests.” Generally, before giving tzedakah, we check whether the tzedakah is legitimate, but on Purim, we give tzedakah to anyone who asks. Some don't qualify for tzedakah, but if they stretch out their hand, we give them. On Purim, Hashem acts with us in the same way. Even if a person doesn’t deserve atonement, if he asks for forgiveness, he will receive it.
As Chazal (Megillah 7.) say, שקבלו מה למעלה קימו למטה, which can be translated as, “Heaven acts above as people act below.” So, if we give tzedakah indiscriminatingly, Hashem will forgive us indiscriminatingly. Whoever asks for forgiveness will be forgiven.
The Shinover Rav zt’l taught: On Purim, every Yid has the power of tefillah, like the kohen gadol who davened in the Kodesh Kadoshim on Yom Kippur.
It states (Esther 4:16), לא אשר המלך אל אבוא ובכן כדת, “Thus, I will come to the king though it is unlawful." The Sfas Emes zt’l (Purim ז"תרנ) explains that it is against the law for a regular person to come to the Kodesh Kadoshim, but on Purim, everyone is allowed inside (figuratively) to pray for his needs.
The Chasam Sofer zt’l (I Drashos p.156:) writes: Purim is greater than Shavuos because on Shavuos, we were forced to accept the Torah. (Hashem raised Har Sinai above our heads and threatened that we would be buried beneath the mountain if we didn’t accept the Torah.) But on Purim, the Jewish nation accepted the Torah out of love (see Shabbos 88.).
Purim is also greater than Pesach. On Pesach, we celebrate liberation from slavery, while on Purim, we celebrate salvation from death. Thus, Purim is greater than Pesach, Shavuos, and Yom Kippur.
